Dispenser cap



July 14, 1959 GORDQN 2,894,660

DISPENSER CAP Filed May 15, 1958 4 In I 4 I I A. 1 o v i l /7, I r, A? g INVENTOR. Ea/MRO L. GORDON Patented July 14, 1959 DISPENSER CAP Edward L. Gordon, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Application May 13, 1958, Serial No. 734,981 1 Claim. (Cl. 222-108) This invention relates to a cap for a dispenser receptacle and, in particular, a receptacle containing a supply of fluid material such as tool paste with a charge of propellant gas under pressure.

Many products such as tooth paste and the like are now being sold in cans containing in addition to the product, a charge of compressed gas, and fitted with a discharge valve act-uable by a disc adapted to be pressed by the users finger. The finger-pressed disc is part of a dispenser cap which is also provided with a discharge spout. A passage on the under side of the disc communicates with the spout and engages the valve stem through which the contents of the can are discharged when the stem is depressed.

Even though considerable care be exercised by the user of such a can, after discharging a proper amount of tooth paste on a brush, a drop or so of the contents will exude from the spout and, unless it is wiped off, will run down the side of the can. This creates a messy appearance and greatly detracts from the eye appeal of an otherwise attractive merchandise package. While the last drop of tooth paste may be removed from the spout by scrubbing the latter with the tooth brush, this is bygienically objectionable when the same can may be used by different persons, e.g., various members of the same family. I have invented a cap for a gas-pressure dispensing can which overcomes this difficulty and insures that any tooth paste left in the spout after a discharge operation will be drawn back from the end, thus preventing any dribbling and obviating the need for wiping the can or spout.

A complete understanding of the invention may be obtained from the following detailed description which refers to the accompanying drawing illustrating a present preferred embodiment. In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a gas-pressure dispensing can;

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of my improved cap taken along the plane of line III-HI of Fig. 2, showing the can in elevation and partly broken away; and

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing a modification.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, a can has a head closure incorporating a valve 11 the stem of which is indicated at 12. A cap 13 molded from a suitable material such as a synthetic plastic, has a ring wall which fits tightly over the head of the can. A spout 14 projects radially from the cap wall. The spout communicates with a passage 15 formed in the underside of a disc 16 molded integrally with the cap but attached thereto only in the vicinity of the spout, so it can easily be deflected by finger pressure. A valve-stem seat 17 is formed on the bottom of the disc and fits over stem 12 so that the contents of the can discharged through the stem when it is depressed, will flow into passage 15 and out through spout 14. The structure described so far is well known and forms no part of my invention.

The ring wall of cap 13 has a raised peripheral rim 18. A dome-shaped flexible resilient diaphragm 19 fits tightly in the rim so it will be deformed by the finger of the user when he applies pressure thereto, to depress disc 16 and open valve 11. As shown, disc 16 has a central hole therein by which the space under the diaphragm communicates with passage 15. The diaphragm is of such material, e.g., the plastic of which the cap is composed, that when finger pressure thereon is released, it will spring back to normal position and, in so doing, will create a suction or partial vacuum tending to withdraw the portion of the contents of the can left in the end of spout 14 after the completion of a dispensing operation. This prevents formation of a drop on the end of the spout which might run down the side of the cam unless wiped off, and detract from its appearance.

Fig. 4 illustrates a modification in which disc 16 is provided with a ring wall 20 and a flexible, resilient diaphragm 19' seated therein. As will be apparent, this diaphragm functions in the same manner as that shown at 19.

It will be apparent that the invention is simple and may readily be applied to conventional push-button" caps without much additional cost yet it eifectively removes the objectionable feature of such caps as heretofore pointed out. It is automatic in operation and requires no attention on the part of the user. The tight fit of the diaphragm in the rim of the cap serves the further purpose of excluding foreign matter from the space under disc 16.

I claim:

In a cap for a pressure can having a valved closure in its head and a valve stem projecting thereabove, said cap including a cylinder the lower end of which fits tightly over said head, a spout extending laterally from said cylinder and a deflectable disc mounted transversely in said cylinder having a passage therein communicating with said spout and a seat on its under side fitting over said stem and provided with an opening into said passage, the combination therewith of a dome-shaped, flexible, resilient diaphragm fitted in the top of said cylinder and overlying said disc, adapted to be deformed by finger pressure applied to deflect said disc, and a port in said disc communicating with said passage whereby the return of the diaphragm to normal condition, on release of finger pressure, exerts a suction tending to withdraw from the end of the spout any material remaining therein on release of said disc.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,681,752 Jarrett et a1. June 22, 1954 2,735,590 Ayres Feb. 21, 1956 2,831,618 Softer et al. Apr. 22, 1958 

